QW2001 Paper 4T1

Prof. Warren Harrison
(Portland State University)

A Universal Metrics Repository

Key Points

Presentation Abstract

A neglected aspect of software measurement programs is what will be done with the metrics once they are collected. As a consequence, databases of metrics information tend to be developed as an afterthought, with little, if any concessions to future data needs, or long-term, sustaining metrics collection efforts. A metric repository should facilitate an on-going metrics collection effort, as well as serving as the "corporate memory" of past projects, their histories and experiences. Within this context, four important limitations of contemporary metrics repositories are: obsolescence; ambiguity; augmentation (or lack, thereof); and focus. In order to addresses these issues, we have suggested a transformational view of software development which treats the software development process as a series of artifact transformations. Each transformation has inputs (artifacts) and produces outputs (artifacts). The use of this approach supports a very flexible software engineering metrics repository.

About the Author

Warren Harrison is Professor of Computer Science at Portland State University. His research interests include both software engineering and internet technologies. Professor Harrison's software engineering research includes return on investment for process improvements, software quality assurance, software measurement, and empirical studies of software engineering. He is an active member of the software engineering research community, serving as Editor-in-Chief of the Software Quality Journal and co-EIC with Vic Basili and Lionel Briand of Empirical Software Engineering, as well as being involved with the organizing committees of numerous international conferences and workshops each year. His PhD is from Oregon State University.